Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Less Talk, More Action

Contrary to all the whispered rumors flying around the men's locker room, I am in fact still knitting. True, there's been little photographic evidence lately. Christmas surprises are taking up most of my time, but by way of introducing variety I also decided to work up a bit of whimsy for my Exceptional Niece Abigail's® first winter.

I'm not a veteran knitter of baby hats, and I don't have Abigail here to try things on, so for sizing I cross-checked seven or eight books and two online sources. I am sure they must all be cahoots to mess with my mind. Abigail's head cannot possibly be as big as they suggest. The bottom of half of her is so tiny and cuddly, but apparently she has a head like a bowling ball.

I know, I know. Babies have big heads. But as big as all that? I'm amazed Susan and Phil don't have to prop her up with two sticks or something.

Anyhow, I made this for my niece's apparently gigantic head.

I'm not the first (hell, I'm not even the twentieth) person to make up a snowman baby hat, but I did try to put some little personal touches into mine.

It's too cold in Maine for even a snowman to cavort in the raw, so I started the fellow off with a handsome red scarf. About halfway up the face, I realized the scarf ought to have a hat, so I knit a hat onto the hat.

A hat on a hat. If you ask me, every well-dressed baby ought to have a touch of the surreal in her wardrobe. If you ask others, it's probably a good thing I have no children of my own.

Around the back, to help keep the neck warm, are the "ends" of the scarf.

The carrot nose is Lamb's Pride worsted that must have spontaneously generated in my stash cupboard. I cannot for the life of me imagine what I would ever purchase bright orange Lamb's Pride in aid of. I'm quite certain it wasn't a gift. And yet, I have two full skeins of it.

The hat is for Abigail, but it's dedicated to her Grandma Ann. Grandma Ann has enough snowmen in her collection to repopulate a small town, and it was one of these that I saw on my last visit home that inspired the hat.

Alrighty, then. Back to work on the _____ and the _____ for _____ and _____. How's your holiday knitting coming along?

*The mouth was going to be made of coal, too, until I worked the eyes and discovered first-hand what a pain in the gazoo it is to knit bobbles.

148 comments:

Oh, I love it -- that hat is the cutest thing ever! Have you considered posting the pattern for those of us with like sized giant headed newphews? My nephew Owen is 5 months old, and this hat screams for Aunt Heddy to make it for him ...

Yep. What they all said. Plus, it's an irony that a) you're gay; b) you're young; c) I'm old; d) I'm straight; e) I'm also married and have precious little to recommend my skills--otherwise I would SO be proposing to you. Every day when I need a bit of Whimsy and Delight, I come to visit Uncle Franklin. Merci. (That cap would look ridiculous on a 4'11" almost-65-year-old Jewish bubbeh, wouldn't it? I won't ask you to knit me one.)

Holiday knitting: French press cosy is complete : ) Now to finish 3 washcloths and 2 tea cosies. This is the thing with a southern hemisphere Christmas, one can't knit sweaters, scarves etc for the kids as they grow out of them before they wear them in winter. sigh.

the hat's adorable! Regarding babies and giant heads, I read somewhere that if you want to be sure a hat or pullover will fit a baby, you should try to stick your own head in it! Amazing such little things have such huge heads, huh?!

I love the hat, it's wonderful! It's gorgeous. I must add my voice to those begging for a pattern...

Holiday knitting, hah! None happening this year; I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do for Christmas, but it won't be knitting. No time, no energy, and the little bit of knitting mojo I have is going towards my own little one due in a couple weeks!

I agree with everyone that is the cutest hat ever!!!! I would love to make that for my niece and myself . As for my Christmas knitting only making 1 think this year and maybe it will be done for Valentines Day.....2010

That is, without any doubt, the most adorable hat ever. EVER. I am not normally into cloyingly cutesie baby stuff, but that is the sweetest thing I have ever seen and also a marvel of class and craftsmanship.

Holiday knitting? Jumping Judah Maccabee, I only have 11 days before the big family Chanukah gathering to knit 3 more sweaters, a few hats and sew some stuff and make the food. TMI, but I had an insulin reaction last night and didn't need to go to the hospital but maybe I should have...I mught have got some down time to knit in.

Oh Franklin, that's super adorable!!! Hooray for surreal baby accessories! I just made a hat for Alec (now 3) and measured his head at a shocking 20 inches around!!! I poked around and found this nice guide at Bev's Country Cottage:

Ask her mom about the size of Abigail's head and she might set you straight ;>

Seriously though, my five-year-old wears some adult hat patterns. It's crazy. The lovely thing about hats that are a bit too big (or any baby thing that is a bit too big) is that they will fit and all too soon.

Ooh! Ooh! I remember where you got that orange Lamb's Pride! The Baby Surprise Sweater for the Dulaan Project! I remember you said something about it shedding on you like an angry orange cat! I remember this because we have an orange cat, named Schnapps, who we call "Sir Sheds-a-lot." Also, I grew up about six miles away from the Brown Sheep factory, so I pay attention when people mention their products.

Very cute! I'd ask for the pattern, but it looks like countless others have done so before me, so I'll wait patiently and see. (Of course, by mentioning it, I was already sort of asking... should I remove the mention of the pattern, then? Nah. Leave it in. Join the flock.Baa.)

Well, if you're looking for a baby-sized head to try things on, I know a model. (wink) His head is small for his body, though, so--unbelievably--normal baby things would be loose on him! I really love the double-hat feature... it's hats all the way down... Abigail is one lucky baby to have this uncle!

ohmigod....it IS the cutest hat ever. Franklin, you're an inspiration. Have you any idea how many knitters are digging through the stash and casting on right this minute? We're going to try to duplicate this adorable hat. Please save us all the ripping and do overs....I too am begging to be able to buy the pattern!

I also have Lamb's Pride orange in my stash because, if you ever do find you need orange yarn, it is the one to have. If it's got to be Orange! (not rust, not persimmon, not peach) then there really is no other choice. Cutest snowman hat ever.

That is not only too cute, but too cool! I love the detail. I mean, I never even thought of a snowman hat in the first place (I guess I'm unoriginal), but even the fact that he has a SCARF *AND* a HAT--it's just cool. She's going to be the most fashionable baby in Maine. (And yes, babies' heads are that big. I've pushed a baby out who had a big head, TRUST ME, it really is that big. Ouch-- and that's almost 7 years later!)

I actually GASPED when I saw that. It is way way waaaay beyond fabulously cute. I love it! And I know the amazing baby and her grandma will too.

- a new knitter who just finished three baby hats for a coworker and is very jealous at the spiral pattern your decreases make, even though I did mine they way that is supposed to to that, mine didn't!

This is the best baby hat I've seen. I mean, how much can you trust my opinion... before I saw this hat, I was enamored of those simple pumpkin hats... but this hat I will actually remember to make, next time I know someone with a winter baby. And yes, in Maine at least, the snowmen wear hats. Not all of the children keep theirs on, but the snow people are well protected.

Babies have big heads. Just ask her mother; I bet she can tell you to the last millionth part of a millimetre exactly how big Abigail's head is.Love the hat. Almost enough to make me want another baby myself. Almost.

My son's head was 40 cm at 6 weeks old... wonder why it hurts when they pop out! eek! Love.Love.Love the hat. I wish my son had an uncle (or an aunt) like you. Try Annie Modesitt's bobbles...they are a little less complicated.

I see I'm not the first to jump on the begging for the pattern bandwagon - but that is the cutest hat ever! And the only baby hat that has appealed to me in a really long time. Now I just need a baby to knit it for...It would even be cute for an older child, so if you could just add a couple sizes to the pattern when you write it...in your spare time ya know. LOL

Cute, totally whacked in a wonderful way, and a great-looking snowman, too! Plus induces hysterical giggles. Man, can you imagine how people are going to mob Sister Sue or hubby when Abigail's wearing it? LOL!

(Blogger's scaring me again. the verification is "kloqfre." What does it have against cloches? And how does it know??)

Freaking Chee-rist...ONE hundred comments on the snowman hat? Dude...plop out the pattern. You could afford bison fiber with that income.

Holiday Knitting Conundrum: am knitting for son. Can only knit while son is at hockey practice. Am required to be in the STANDS at hockey practice ("Mom, did you see me do THAT???"). Trying to knit surreptitiously so he can't SEE what I'm doing, while my fingers become more numb by the minute. (and no, I can't knit with fingerless gloves on - the dpns get stuck in my wrists)

Help! We should have traded knitting projects with each other a long time ago "You knit a pink hat for me, I'll knit black socks for you..." Great timing.

Are you quite sure Exceptional Abigail is not yet able to read blogs?As far as computers are concerned, they are starting them awfully early these days. I'm just worried that the surprise will now be spoiled for little A. ( 197th person to say "cute"!)

My kids would so love that hat. Can you at least sell the pattern? I forget you are a knitting genius and probably don't have a pattern for it, you made it up as you went along? Tell the truth smarty pants!

As mother of five, I can attest they do have big heads, surprisingly so. I've read too that that is what makes them so adorable! I think it has to do with our inner programming to automatically adore them--small creatures with oversize heads are appealing to humans. Think about it!

the fast cap in the opinionated knitted has a gauge at 96 stitches to 25. i think that works for a cute little baby head. no their heads are not that big. i have never seen a snow man hat before so with or without personal touches it is completely unique and lovely to me. it is almost a toy. and then i have noticed that parents seem to like balaclavas for children. they cover the neck completely when the grow big enough to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Is there any chance that you'll publish the pattern? I have two co-workers who are now grandmas and I'd love to make this little hat as gifts for them. It would be kind of fun for one of them, especially, as her grandchild is in Hawaii!

*timidly creepin up* Hi! I've been lurking for a while, but I thought it was time to come out into the comments so that I could say: That hat is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life. Really. I'm dying a slow, adorableness-induced death over here. I love it. Please post the pattern. Pretty please?

I love the snowman hat. I was recently trying to design a simple baby hat and had the same problem with all the sizing charts online and in books. I was like how can the kids head only be a few inches smaller than mine??

Sorry, I couldn't see an email address to contact you (probably wise on your part) so I'm commenting instead. Just letting you know that I've cross-posted the Hat-upon-a-hat pic from this post to my blog http://nicknits.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html.

I don't know the blogiquette for this but needless to say, I'll remove the pic if you so wish.

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